If you have a LuvaBella or LuvaBeau Interactive Doll from Spin Master tucked away, just waiting for Christmas morning, I have a warning, that you are probably not going to want to hear. As a blogger who reviews the newest products, I was anxious to get my hands on a LuvaBella doll.
I had no trouble finding one, but the trouble began soon after taking her out of the box. Her silicone or vinyl doll “skin” had a greasy appearance and had all kinds of hairs and dirt stuck to her face.
It was not that she was ever taken out of the box, it was how she was packaged from the factory. She had what looked like a crease between her eyes, which most like came from a defect in the mold. On the side of her face she had this huge unsightly seam that was very obviously a flaw from the mold. Her molded hair was painted so sloppy, as if a child had done it. The paint went right down onto her face and was all over her ear. 
After inserting the batteries she had a terrible clicking in her neck, and her chin and would seem to get stuck, she would vibrate in place before turning her head. I took a video of this and let the company know. After viewing my photos and video, they said that, the doll was indeed very damaged and needed to be returned. They explained that in an effort to get the dolls out quickly, there were some issues with defective dolls being released that should not have happened.
I returned that doll and picked up a new one. Now, when I removed the new doll from the box, she had a much better paint job on her hair, she did not have that unsightly crease defect between her eyes, nor did she have the big seam on the side of her head.
I thought everything would be okay. I took a video of her and she began to keep yawning and saying things at different times that did not make sense. She also could not stop burping when eating.
I thought she needed new batteries, so I put in a fresh set of 4 C batteries. However, with the new batteries, she still said things at the wrong time, she did not burp when her back was patted, but kept doing so when eating. She also started to have limited movement of her mouth. Her mouth barely opened now.
See the video below to see how her mouth is failing
I did some reasearch and found several adult collectors on their 4th doll, and still not having any luck with replacements. Some had the eyes start to fail, they stayed shut unless their was a string tied around their head not allowing the eyes to close. Others had the mouths just stop moving totally.
Many people would comment how gingerly these dolls must be handled. Now they are marketed to ages 4 and up. Do you think if adult doll collectors are having issues like this, that when you give the doll to a 4 year old child. that they are not going to move the limbs, turn the head, bang the doll? Given all the parents that have not opened or tried the doll, we are bound to see reports of many broken and damaged LovaBella and LovaBeau dolls after Christmas Day.
In my opinion, given what I have experienced, and from what I have seen happen to dolls that were not in the hands of children, I have to say, these dolls are not suitable for toddlers or young children. There is a review for the doll you can see on Amazon that shows the aftermath of the doll being in the hands of a three-year old. It is not pretty.
LuvaBella and LuvaBeau are very delicate dolls, not one that can be toted around and carried everywhere. It is quite disheartening that they are so delicate yet marketed to such young children.
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So, let me know if you do decide to check your LuvaBella or LuvaBeau out. The new doll that I had in the video to replace the other damaged doll was only on for the fourth time when she started showing issues with her mouth.
I hope the company does something to make up for all the damaged dolls.
